Lint remover with housing and method of using

ABSTRACT

A compact and transportable lint remover ( 10 ). The lint remover ( 10 ) includes a tubular housing ( 12 ) having a closed end ( 16 ), an open end ( 18 ), and an interior chamber ( 14 ) therebetween. A spindle ( 26 ) is movable between a stowed position in which the entire spindle ( 26 ) is within the chamber ( 14 ) and a deployed position in which a majority of the spindle ( 26 ) protrudes from the chamber ( 14 ) through the open end ( 18 ) of the housing ( 12 ). A cover ( 22 ) is pivotally coupled to the housing ( 12 ) and movable between a closed position in which the cover ( 22 ) closes the open end ( 18 ) of the housing ( 12 ) to prevent the spindle ( 26 ) from being deployed, and an open position that allows the spindle ( 26 ) to be deployed through the open end ( 18 ) of the housing ( 12 ). A adhesive-bearing roller ( 46 ) is rotatably mounted on the spindle ( 26 ) and secured thereon by a retention cap ( 44 ).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/248,323, filed Oct. 2, 2009, the contents of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to lint removers, and moreparticularly to a lint remover equipped with a lint roller adapted to bestowed within a housing and deployed from the housing for use. Thehousing serves as a handle for the lint remover during use.

Lint removers are used to capture and remove fibrous matter, such ashair or lint, from objects such as articles of clothing. Lint removersare available in various forms, including brushes and rollers. Theformer are equipped with small bristles arranged to capture fibrousmatter. On the other hand, a lint roller typically comprises a rotatablecylinder whose outer cylindrical surface carries a replaceable adhesivesheet that promotes the ability of the cylinder to capture fibrousmatter. Lint rollers are often more capable of capturing fibrous matterthan are lint brushes as a result of the sticky adhesive. Lint rollersare also often gentler than lint brushes on delicate fabrics. However, adownside is that lint rollers are more difficult to transport since theadhesive can cause the roller to stick to essentially anything withwhich the roller comes in contact.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a compact and transportable lint remover.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the lint remover includesa tubular housing defining a cylindrical interior chamber. The housingfurther has a closed end that closes the interior chamber, anoppositely-disposed open end to the interior chamber, and a central axison which the interior chamber and the closed and open ends are coaxiallydisposed. A spindle is coupled to the housing so as to be movablebetween a stowed position in which the spindle is entirely within theinterior chamber and a deployed position in which a majority of thespindle and a distal end thereof protrude from the interior chamberthrough the open end of the housing and a proximal end of the spindleengages the housing to retain the spindle on the housing. A cover iscoupled to the housing for pivoting relative to the housing. The coveris movable between a closed position in which the cover closes the openend of the housing while the spindle is within the housing and preventsthe spindle from being deployed through the open end of the housing, andan open position in which the cover exposes the open end of the housingand causes the spindle to be deployed through the open end of thehousing. A retention cap is removably coupled to the distal end of thespindle, and a roller is rotatably mounted on the spindle and securedthereon by the retention cap. The roller comprises an adhesive materialon an external cylindrical surface thereof.

Another aspect of the invention is a method of using the lint removerdescribed above. Such a method includes, with the spindle in the stowedposition thereof so that the spindle is entirely within the interiorchamber, deploying the spindle to the deployed position thereof bypivoting the cover relative to the housing to release the spindle fromthe interior housing so that the majority of the spindle and the distalend thereof protrude from the interior chamber through the open end ofthe housing and the proximal end of the spindle engages the housing toretain the spindle on the housing.

An advantage of this invention is that the housing of the lint removeris adapted to completely enclose the roller, as well as serve as ahandle when the roller is deployed from the housing. The housing permitsthe lint remover to be more easily transported by reducing thelikelihood that the adhesive carried on the roller, such as areplaceable sheet on the roller, might leave an unwanted residue onobjects with which the remover comes in contact.

Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be betterappreciated from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 represents a cross-sectional view of a lint remover in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the invention, and shows an adhesive lintroller of the lint remover stowed within a housing.

FIG. 2 shows the lint remover of FIG. 1 with the lint roller deployedfrom the housing.

FIG. 3 shows an end view of the lint remover of FIG. 2

FIG. 4 represents a cross-sectional view of the housing of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 represents a side view of an end cap that closes one end of thehousing of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 6 represents a side view of the spindle of FIGS. 1-3.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are end views of the spindle of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 through 8 depict a lint remover 10 and components thereof. Thelint remover 10 is represented as comprising a tubular-shaped housing 12that defines an interior chamber 14. The housing 12 is represented inFIGS. 1 through 4 as having cylindrical-shaped exterior and interiorsurfaces, though it should be understood that each of these surfacescould be contoured to promote aesthetic or functional aspects of thehousing 12 or of the lint remover 10 as a whole. One end 16 of thehousing 12 (and chamber 14) is closed by an end cap 20, while theopposite end 18 of the chamber 14 is adapted to be selectively closedand exposed with a cover 22. The cap 20 is represented as being securedwith pins or dowels to the end 16 of the housing 12, though othertechniques for securing the cap 20 could be used. The housing 12 has acentral axis 24 on which the interior chamber 14 and the closed and openends 16 and 18 of the housing 12 are coaxially disposed.

A tubular-shaped spindle 26 is coupled to the housing 12 and adapted tobe movable between a stowed position (FIG. 1) in which the spindle 26 isentirely within the interior chamber 14 of the housing 12, and adeployed position (FIG. 2) in which a majority of the spindle 26 and adistal end 28 thereof protrude from the interior chamber 14 through theopen end 18 of the housing 12. A proximal end 30 of the spindle 26 isconfigured to engage the housing 12 to retain the spindle 26 on thehousing 12. For this purpose, the proximal end 30 is shown as having alarger diameter than the remainder of the spindle 26 to provide a closediametrical fit with the open end 18 of the housing 12, and as havingpins 32 that extend radially from the proximal end 30 of the spindle 26to individually engage slots 34 defined in the interior surface of thehousing 12 that defines and surrounds the chamber 14. Each slot 34 isrepresented as having an axial slot portion 34 a and an L-shaped slotportion 34 b, which together result in each slot 34 having roughly aninverted hook or J-shaped configuration. The pins 32 and the axial slotportions 34 a permit the spindle 26 to move axially within the housing12, but cooperate to prevent rotational movement of the spindle 26within the housing 12 while the pins 32 remain with the axial slotportions 34 a. Axial movement of the spindle 26 within the housing 12 ispromoted by a shaft 50 that extends into the interior chamber 14 fromthe end cap 20 and whose axis coincides with the axis 24 of the housing12. The spindle 26 has an interior bore 52 in which the shaft 50 isreceived, such that the spindle 26 is slidably mounted on the shaft 50to maintain the spindle 26 in coaxial alignment with the housing 12. Atthe outermost extension of the spindle 26 relative to the housing 12,the L-shaped slot portions 34 b enable the spindle 26 to rotate, forexample, about forty-five degrees, relative to the housing 12 to aposition in which the pins 32 and slot portions 34 b permit limitedaxial movement of the spindle 26 within the housing 12, effectivelylocking the spindle 26 in its deployed position. As a result, the slots34 prevent rotational movement of the spindle 26 relative to the housing12 as the spindle 26 moves between its stowed and deployed positions,and permit limited rotational and axial movement of the spindle 26relative to the housing 12 when the spindle 26 is in its deployedposition.

The spindle 26 further includes a retention cap 44 that is removablycoupled to the distal end 28 of the spindle 26. As shown in FIGS. 1 and2, the cap 44 is threaded into a threaded bore defined in the distal end28 of the spindle 26, though it should be apparent that other techniquescould be used to secure the cap 44 to the spindle 26, while allowing thecap 44 to be easily removed.

FIGS. 1 and 2 represent the optional use of a spring 36 or othersuitable biasing means for biasing the spindle 26 toward its deployedposition. The spring 36 is shown as surrounding the shaft 50 andengaging the end cap 20 of the housing 12 and the lower end of thespindle 26, which causes the spindle 26 to be biased away from the endcap 20 and through the open end 18 of the housing 12.

A cylindrical-shaped roller 46 is rotatably mounted on the spindle 26and secured thereon by the retention cap 44. The roller 46 functions asthe means by which hair, lint and other fibrous matter can be capturedwith the lint remover 10. Accordingly, the outer surface of the roller46 is preferably cylindrical and equipped with an adhesive, which can beof any type currently used or suitable for use with lint rollers. In apreferred embodiment, the adhesive 48 is carried on a tubular-shapeddisposable tube or sheet that surrounds the cylindrical surface of theroller 46. Alternatively, the adhesive 48 can be present on thecylindrical surface of the roller 46, in which case the entire roller 46may be disposable. As should be evident from FIGS. 1 and 2, the roller46 can be removed from the spindle 26 be removing the cap 44.

The cover 22 is coupled to the housing 12 at its open end 18, and isshown as being movable between a closed position (FIG. 1) and an openposition (FIG. 2). In the embodiment shown, the cover 22 is adapted topivot or swivel in a plane perpendicular to the axis 24 of the housing12, though other configurations are foreseeable. In the closed position,the cover 22 closes the open end 18 of the housing 12 while the spindle26 is within the housing 12, and in so doing prevents the spindle 26from being deployed through the open end 18 of the housing 12. In theopen position, the cover 22 is swiveled away from the open end 18 of thehousing 12 to expose the internal chamber 14, which causes the spindle26 to be deployed through the open end 18 of the housing 12 under thebiasing force of the spring 36. Because the spring 36 causes the cap 44of the spindle 26 to be biased into engagement with the lower surface ofthe cover 22, the cap 44 is shown as having a dome-shaped or arc-shapedupper surface to reduce friction and, therefore, the effort required toswivel the cover 22 away from the housing 12 while the cover 22 issubjected to the force of the spring 36 transferred to the cover 22 bythe cap 44. Various configurations are possible for connecting the cover22 to the housing 12. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, theconnection comprises a hinge arm 38 whose opposite ends are rotatablycoupled with pins or dowels to the rim 40 of the housing 12 and to therim 42 of the cover 22, as seen in FIG. 3.

As evident from FIG. 1, the housing 12 and its end cap 20 and cover 22define the entire external appearance of the lint remover 10 when thespindle 26 and roller 46 are stowed. Therefore, the housing 12 can bemanufactured to have any suitable design, color, shape/contour, or otherornamentation that might appeal to certain segments of the population,including ornamentation that relates to certain hobbies, pets,lifestyles, and the like. The ornamentation of the housing 12 can alsobe specially adapted for storing the lint remover 10 in, for example, apurse, car, briefcase, etc.

In use, the lint remover 10 can be used to remove lint, hair or otherfibrous material from a surface of an object, such as a garment, byreleasing the spindle 26 and its roller 46 from the interior chamber 14of the housing 12. Starting with the spindle 26 in its stowed positionso that the spindle 26 is entirely within the interior chamber 14 (FIG.1), the spindle 26 can be deployed to its deployed position (FIG. 2) bypivoting the cover 22 away from the housing 12 and perpendicular to theaxis 24 of the housing 12 to release the spindle 26 from the chamber 14.The biasing force of the spring 36, in cooperation with the pins 32 onthe spindle 26 and the slots 34 of the housing 12, causes a majority ofthe spindle 26 to protrude from the interior chamber 14 through the openend 18 of the housing 12. The maximum extent of the spindle 26 from thehousing 12 is limited by the pins 32 at the proximal end 30 of thespindle 26, which engage the L-shaped slot portions 34 b in the wall ofthe housing 12 to retain the spindle 26 in the housing 12. The spindle26 can then be temporarily locked in its deployed position by rotatingthe spindle 26 relative to the housing 12 to cause the pins 32 to enterthe L-shaped slot portions 34 b of the slots 34. The spring 36 thenhelps to maintain the spindle 26 in its deployed position by helping toretain the pins 32 in the L-shaped slot portions 34 b of the slots 34.

Thereafter, the housing 12 is suitably configured to be employed as ahandle for the lint remover 10 during its use, so that the lint remover10 can be held by the housing (handle) 12 and the roller 46 manipulatedas may be necessary during removal of fibrous material with the roller46. The relatively larger proximal end 30 of the spindle 26 minimizesthe diametrical clearance with the interior surface of the housing 12 toprovide greater stability of the spindle 26 and its roller 46, and thecomplementary pins 32 and slots 34 provide further stability byrestricting the axial and rotational movement of the spindle 26 relativeto the housing 12.

As previously noted, use of the lint remover 10 can also entailreplacing the adhesive 48 after it has accumulated fibrous material tothe point where ability of the roller 46 to capture material isdiminished. For this purpose, the roller 46 can be removed from thespindle 26 after removing the retention cap 44 from the distal end 28 ofthe spindle 26.

While the invention has been described in terms of a specificembodiment, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by oneskilled in the art. For example, the physical configuration of the lintremover 10 could differ from that shown, and various materials andprocesses could be used to manufacture the lint remover 10 and itscomponents. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited onlyby the following claims.

1. A lint remover (10) comprising: a tubular housing (12) defining acylindrical interior chamber (14) and having a closed end (16) closingthe interior chamber (14), an open end (18) to the interior chamber(14), and a central axis (24) on which the interior chamber (14) and theclosed and open ends (16,18) are coaxially disposed; a spindle (26)coupled to the housing (12), the spindle (26) being movable between astowed position in which the spindle (26) is entirely within theinterior chamber (14) and a deployed position in which a majority of thespindle (26) and a distal end (28) thereof protrude from the interiorchamber (14) through the open end (18) of the housing (12) and aproximal end (30) of the spindle (26) engages the housing (12) to retainthe spindle (26) on the housing (12); a cover (22) coupled to thehousing (12) for pivoting relative to the housing (12), the cover (22)being movable between a closed position in which the cover (22) closesthe open end (18) of the housing (12) while the spindle (26) is withinthe housing (12) and prevents the spindle (26) from being deployedthrough the open end (18) of the housing (12) and an open position inwhich the cover (22) exposes the open end (18) of the housing (12) andcauses the spindle (26) to be deployed through the open end (18) of thehousing (12); a retention cap (44) removably coupled to the distal end(28) of the spindle (26); and a roller (46) rotatably mounted on thespindle (26) and removably secured thereon by the retention cap (44),the roller (46) comprising an adhesive material (48) on an externalcylindrical surface thereof.
 2. The lint remover (10) according to claim1, wherein the proximal end (30) of the spindle (26) comprisesradially-extending pins (32) that engage the housing (12) to retain thespindle (26) on the housing (12).
 3. The lint remover (10) according toclaim 2, further comprising slots (34) recessed into an interior surfaceof the housing (12) that defines the interior chamber (14), the pins(32) of the spindle (26) being slidably received in the slots (34) toenable axial movement of the spindle (26) relative to the housing (12).4. The lint remover (10) according to claim 3, wherein each of the slots(34) has an axial portion (34 a) that prevents rotational movement ofthe spindle (26) relative to the housing (12) as the spindle (26) movesfrom the stowed position thereof to the deployed position thereof, and asecond portion (34 b) that permits rotational movement of the spindle(26) relative to the housing (12) and limits axial movement of thespindle (26) relative to the housing (12) when the spindle (26) is inthe deployed position thereof.
 5. The lint remover (10) according toclaim 1, wherein the cover (22) is coupled to the housing (12) so as topivot in a plane perpendicular to the axis (24) of the housing (12). 6.The lint remover (10) according to claim 5, further comprising a hinge(38) that couples the cover (22) to the housing (12), the hinge (38)having a first end pivotally coupled to the open end (18) of the housing(12) and a second end pivotally coupled to the cover (22).
 7. The lintremover (10) according to claim 1, further comprising an end cap (20)that closes the interior chamber (14) to define the closed end (16) ofthe housing (12).
 8. The lint remover (10) according to claim 7, furthercomprising a shaft (50) extending into the interior chamber (14) fromthe end cap (20), the spindle (26) being slidably mounted on the shaft(50).
 9. The lint remover (10) according to claim 1, further comprisingmeans (36) for biasing the spindle (26) toward the deployed positionthereof.
 10. The lint remover (10) according to claim 9, wherein theretention cap (44) has an arc-shaped surface that engages the cover (22)when the cover (22) is in the closed position, closes the open end (18)of the housing (12) while the spindle (26) is within the housing (12),and prevents the spindle (26) from being deployed through the open end(18) of the housing (12).
 11. A method of using the lint remover (10) ofclaim 1, the method comprising: with the spindle (26) in the stowedposition thereof so that the spindle (26) is entirely within theinterior chamber (14), deploying the spindle (26) to the deployedposition thereof by pivoting the cover (22) relative to the housing (12)in the plane perpendicular to the axis (24) of the housing (12) torelease the spindle (26) from the interior housing (12) so that themajority of the spindle (26) and the distal end (28) thereof protrudefrom the interior chamber (14) through the open end (18) of the housing(12) and the proximal end (30) of the spindle (26) engages the housing(12) to retain the spindle (26) on the housing (12).
 12. The methodaccording to claim 11, the method further comprising using the lintremover (10) to remove lint from an object while using the housing (12)as a handle to hold the lint remover (10) and manipulate the roller(46).
 13. The method according to claim 11, the method furthercomprising replacing the adhesive material (48) on the externalcylindrical surface of the roller (46) by removing the retention cap(44) from the distal end (28) of the spindle (26) and removing theroller (46) from the spindle (26).